(WXIN) — A new program from Amazon will allow customers to share their internet connections from their home devices, and the deadline to opt out is quickly approaching.
According to the company, Amazon Sidewalk is a shared network that’s supposed to help its devices (Amazon Alexa, Echo, Ring doorbell, security cameras, tile trackers, etc.) retain connectivity even if a home’s internet signal is weak or not working. It’s effectively a version of a mesh network that allows a device to “borrow” an internet connection from somewhere else.
“Sidewalk helps simplify new device setup, extends the working range of low-bandwidth devices, and helps devices stay online, even if they are outside the range of the user’s home wifi,” Amazon said in a statement.
Sidewalk is currently available only in the U.S., according to the company’s website.
The company said customers will be automatically enrolled in the program at no extra charge on June 8, which means customers who want to opt out need to do so within the next few days.
Amazon said total monthly data used by Sidewalk-enabled devices, per customer, is capped at 500MB — the “equivalent to streaming about 10 minutes of high-definition video.”
Here is the list of devices Amazon says support Sidewalk:
- Ring Floodlight Cam (2019)
- Ring Spotlight Cam Wired (2019)
- Ring Spotlight Cam Mount (2019)
- Echo (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Dot (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Dot for Kids (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Dot with Clock (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Plus (all generations)
- Echo Show (all models and generations)
- Echo Spot
- Echo Studio
- Echo Input
- Echo Flex
Existing users who want to opt out can turn off the feature by going to settings in the Alexa app and selecting “Amazon Sidewalk” under “Account Settings.”
